Bioeconomía

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10347/40017

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Spatial distribution of human-caused forest fires in Galicia (NW Spain)
(WIT Press, 2010) Chas Amil, María Luisa; Touza, J.; Prestemon, J. P.; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
It is crucial for fire prevention policies to assess the spatial patterns of human-started fires and their relationship with geographical and socioeconomic aspects. This study uses fire reports for the period 1988-2006 in Galicia, Spain, to analyze the spatial distribution of human-induced fire risk attending to causes and underlying motivations associated with fire ignitions. Our results show that there are four distinctive types of municipalities in this region according to the incidence of intentional agricultural-livestock fires, pyromaniacal behavior, negligence, and unknown causes. They highlight that study of the spatial properties of the human causes and motivations of forest fire activity can provide valuable information for detecting the presence of non-random clusters of fires of various causes in particular locations, where fire management planning should be evaluated more in depth.
Estimación dos custos das operacións de extinción de incendios forestais: estudo de caso no distrito forestal da Limia
(Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 2014) Vázquez Vázquez, María Cristina; Chas Amil, María Luisa; Touza Montero, Julia María; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
Os incendios forestais producidos en Galicia, na meirande parte dos casos intencionadamente, arrasan miles de hectáreas de superficie forestal cada ano. Neste traballo realizamos un estudo descritivo dos incendios rexistrados durante o período 1999-2008 no Distrito XV-A Limia, así como unha estimación económica dos custos derivados das operacións de extinción. Para isto empregamos os partes de incendio dos 6.383 incendios forestais ocorridos neste distrito, e deseñamos dous escenarios de valoración para a estimación do valor dos medios humanos e materiais empregados nos lumes do distrito. As nosas estima-cións amosan un custo anual medio de extinción por hectárea de superficie forestal que varía entre os 5,3 euros e os 6,4 euros.
Iberian Peninsula October 2017 wildfires: Burned area and population exposure in Galicia (NW of Spain)
(Elsevier, 2020) Chas Amil, María Luisa; García Martínez, Eduardo Daniel; Touza, Julia; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
In October 2017, an extreme wildfire outbreak in the NW of the Iberian Peninsula burned thousands of hectares, resulting in human deaths and important economic damage. This paper provides a first comprehensive assessment of the exposure of the local communities in the Spanish region of Galicia, where forestlands routinely experience fire outbreaks, as the one that occurred in 14th, 15th and 16th October with more than two hundred fire incidents. We delimitate the wildfire perimeters, characterize the area burned in regards to vegetation characteristics, evaluate the affected wildland-urban interface (WUI), and quantify the population and buildings exposed to wildfires. The burned area was found to be unevenly distributed, concentrated in the south of the region, and in municipalities with nearly half of their lands under WUI. This resulted in a high level of exposure in the affected lands. We estimated that 51 communities were inside fire perimeters. Moreover, 873 communities with more than 87,000 people residing on them, were at a close distance of less than 1 km away. This study demonstrates the importance of understanding extreme wildfire events and their potential impacts which can guide how best communities can respond to them. The high number of population exposed to the studied event shows the necessity of integrating land-use planning with wildfire risk prevention and preparedness.
Unequal raw material exchange between and within countries: Galicia (NW Spain) as a core-periphery economy
(Elsevier, 2020) Piñero, Pablo; Pérez Neira, David; Infante Amate, Juan; Chas Amil, María Luisa; Doldán García, Xoán Ramón; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada
A global multi-regional input-output model with sub-national resolution for Galicia, north-west Spain, was used to study physical and value added trade balances between Galicia, the rest of Spain and the world. Within the framework of Ecologically Unequal Exchange theory, we argue that a region, such as Galicia, can play a twofold role as core and periphery in the global division of extractive activities. We show that Galicia is a sink, i.e. net importer of natural resources from middle- and low-income economies, and that the lower the income of the trade partner, the more raw material intensive the imports (measured as upstream kg per USD imported value added). However, this physical deficit is less accentuated than for the rest of Spain and Galicia's material footprint is significantly lower (~14.2 compared with ~24.5 t/capita). Moreover, Galicia is a source, i.e. net exporter of raw materials compared with more thriving European Union economies and, even for some key trade partners, such as Germany, UK and the rest of Spain, it is a net importer of value added.
Identificación de la población más vulnerable al impacto de los incendios forestales
(AEC – Asociación de Economía Crítica, 2021) Chas Amil, María Luisa; Nogueira Moure, Emilio; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
Evaluación del contexto institucional y organizativo para la protección de la población ante los incendios forestales
(AEC – Asociación de Economía Crítica, 2021) Chas Amil, María Luisa; Nogueira Moure, Emilio; García Martínez, Eduardo Daniel; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada
Stakeholder perceptions of wildfire management strategies as nature-based solutions in two Iberian biosphere reserves
(Resilience Alliance, 2023) Lecina Díaz, Judit; Chas Amil, María Luisa; Regos Sanz, Adrián; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
Increased large and high-intensity wildfires cause large socioeconomic and ecological impacts, which demand improved landscape management approaches in which both ecological and societal dimensions are integrated. Engaging society in fire management requires a better understanding of stakeholder perceptions of wildfires and landscape management. We analyze stakeholder perceptions about wildfire-landscape interactions in abandoned rural landscapes of southern Europe, and how fire and the land should be managed to reduce wildfire hazard and ensure the long-term supply of ecosystem services in these fire-prone regions. To do so, a structured online questionnaire was sent to the stakeholders of two transboundary biosphere reserves in Spain-Portugal. Our analysis also questioned to what extent fuel management strategies can be considered nature-based solutions (NbS) using the IUCN standard. Overall, stakeholders state that fire should be managed and support fire prevention in lieu of fire suppression policies. Rural abandonment is perceived as the main cause of large wildfires, with high-intensity fires impacting the study regions more than in the recent past, a trend which they expect to continue in the future in the absence of management. All the suggested fuel management strategies, except chemical treatments, were accepted by the stakeholders who perceive more positive than negative effects of fuel management on forest ecosystem services. Transboundary coordination was rated as inadequate or even nonexistent. We did not find differences among stakeholder sectors and biosphere reserves, indicating that in the study area, there is a general agreement on perceptions about wildfire and associated impacts at the landscape level. Finally, we showed that promoting agricultural and livestock uses, modifying forest species composition to increase fire resistance, and introducing large herbivores have the potential to become effective NbS in the regions. This study represents a first-step analysis representing a base for future co-design and implementation of NbS to improve fuel management, contributing to the understanding of the stakeholder support for their application in addressing the socioeconomic challenges in high fire-risk areas.
From extractivism to neo-extractivism in Argentina: Analysis of the evolution of environmental impact and external dependence (1990-2017)
(Euro-American Association of Economic Development Studies (EAAEDS), 2021) Alonso Fernández, Pablo; Regueiro Ferreira, Rosa María; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada
This paper analyses the evolution of Argentina's environmental impact in the period 1990-2017, which allows us to study the differences between the extractivist and neo-extractivist phases of the Argentinean economy. To do so, we use material consumption indicators obtained through the Material Flow Analysis methodology, combined with monetary indicators, which allows for a secondary analysis of external dependence. The results show that the environmental impact has not stopped growing throughout the period, so that the differences between the two models are not significant in environmental terms. Furthermore, Argentina has problems balancing its monetary trade balance when commodity prices are not favourable, while maintaining a net export position in physical terms. This makes inter-sectoral economic diversification difficult and forces Argentina to maintain an economic model that leads to the absorption of a significant environmental impact from the rest of the world.
As enerxías renovables e a sostibilidade: claves de acceso ao benestar?
(Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 2021) Regueiro Ferreira, Rosa María; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada
Neste artigo preséntase unha discusión teórica desde os enfoques da economía institucionalista e da economía da enerxía sobre os elementos clave da fortaleza das enerxías renovables para a consecución do benestar e da sostibilidade no medio e no longo prazo de cara a conseguir un reparto máis equitativo dos recursos e a garantir o propio sostemento do planeta Terra. A partir dunha metodoloxía fundamentalmente descritiva e de análise, expoñeranse diferentes posturas adoptadas a nivel mundial, sendo un dos seus obxectivos lograr unha redución da pobreza a partir da implementación de enerxías renovables. Tratarase de determinar, ou cando menos de explicar, cal é o custo deste avance para os países pobres, se é compatible co nivel mínimo de ingresos dos consumidores e se o custo deste sistema enerxético sostible é menor que o do sistema tradicional de recursos fósiles. Como conclusión, a adopción de prácticas enerxéticas sostibles e de base renovable preséntase como unha oportunidade de desenvolvemento para as rexións máis desfavorecidas, sempre que estas sexan consideradas desde unha estratexia de actuación integral e que contemplen vías alternativas de financiamento.
Forest Fire Causes and Motivations in the Southern and South-Eastern Europe through Experts’ Perception and Applications to Current Policies
(MDPI, 2022) Tedim, Fantina; Leone, Vittorio; Lovreglio, Raffaella; Xanthopoulos, Gavriil; Chas Amil, María Luisa; Ganteaume, Anne; Efe, Recep; Royé, Dominic; Fuerst-Bjeliš, Borna; Nikolov, Nikola; Musa, Snjezana; Milenković, Milan; Correia, Fernando; Conedera, Marco; Pezzatti, Gianni Boris; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
Forest fires causes and motivations are poorly understood in southern and south-eastern Europe. This research aims to identify how experts perceive the different causes of forest fires as defined in the classification proposed by the European Commission in 2013. A panel of experts (N = 271) was gathered from the EU Southern Member States (France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain) and from Central (Switzerland) and south-eastern Europe (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of North Macedonia, and Turkey). Experts were asked to answer a questionnaire to score the importance of the 29 fire causes using a five point (1–5) Likert Scale. Agricultural burnings received the highest score, followed by Deliberate fire for profit, and Vegetation management. Most of the events stem from Negligence, whereas malicious fire setting is arguably overestimated although there are differences among the countries. This research demonstrates the importance of different techniques to enhance the knowledge of the causes of the complex anthropogenic phenomenon of forest fire occurrence.
Incorporating fire-smartness into agricultural policies reduces suppression costs and ecosystem services damages from wildfires
(Elsevier, 2023) Lecina Díaz, Judit; Chas Amil, María Luisa; Aquilué, Núria; Sil, Ângelo; Brotons, Lluís; Regos Sanz, Adrián; Touza, Julia; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Zooloxía, Xenética e Antropoloxía Física
In southern Europe, land abandonment and an unbalanced investment toward fire suppression instead of prevention has gradually increased wildfire risk, which calls for a paradigm change in fire management policies. Here we combined scenario analysis, fire landscape modelling, and economic tools to identify which land-use policies would reduce the expected wildfire-related losses in the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve ‘Gerês-Xurés’ (Spain-Portugal). To do so, we applied the least-cost-plus-net-value-change approach and estimated net changes in wildfire damages based on their implications for the 2010–2050 period and five ecosystem services: agriculture, pasture, timber, recreation and climate regulation. Four land-use scenarios were considered: (1) Business as Usual (BAU); (2) fire-smart, fostering more fire-resistant (less flammable) and/or fire-resilient landscapes (fire-smart); (3) High Nature Value farmlands (HNVf), wherein the abandonment of extensive agriculture is reversed; and (4) a combination of HNVf and fire-smart. HNVf is the best scenario for suppression cost savings, but it generates the lowest net present value of societal benefits from climate regulation. In fact, the most efficient scenario with the lowest societal discounted net suppression costs and change on ecosystem services damages is the HNVf + fire-smart scenario, as it also generates suppression cost savings from agricultural expansion, and lead to a significant reduction in damages on timber and recreational benefits. Therefore, reverting land abandonment through recultivation and promoting fire-resistant tree species is the most efficient way to reduce wildfire hazard. In this sense, payments for ecosystem services should reward farmers and landowners for their role in wildfire prevention. This study improves the understanding of the financial and societal benefits derived from reducing fire suppression spending and ecosystem services damage by undertaking fire-smart land-use strategies, which can be essential to enhance local stakeholders' support for Payments of Ecosystem Services policies for wildfire prevention.
Desmaterialización y crisis económica ¿Caminos paralelos? Valoraciones a partir del estudio del caso de la UE-15
(Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 2024) Alonso Fernández, Pablo; Regueiro Ferreira, Rosa María; Doldán García, Xoán Ramón; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada
En este trabajo se investiga la evolución del consumo de recursos materiales en los países de la Unión Europea-15 (UE-15) en los últimos 20 años, con el objetivo de analizar si en ellos existe desmaterialización y que sectores la lideran. Como indicador de consumo material se utiliza la huella material, ya que indica todos los recursos que requiere una economía. Utilizando los datos de la huella material y el PIB se propone un modelo que permite estudiar la existencia de desmaterialización en la UE-15. Los principales resultados muestran que la desmaterialización solo ocurre de forma coyuntural tras la crisis de 2008, recuperándose posteriormente el acoplamiento entre el PIB y la huella material.
The invisible risks of the trans-Ecuadorian oil pipeline system: An analysis of social preferences in Quito
(Elsevier, 2024-05-31) Salazar Baño, Alfredo Geovanny; Chas Amil, María Luisa; Soliño Millán, Mario; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
Oil infrastructure poses a significant risk to the people living in its vicinity. Despite the numerous studies conducted on the impact of the industry’s accidents, research into disaster risk reduction relating to the oil pipelines that pass through urban areas is still limited. This study addresses this gap using the Trans-Ecuadorian Oil Pipeline System in the Metropolitan District of Quito (Ecuador) as a case study. A discrete choice experiment is employed to assess the preferences of the local population concerning risk mitigation measures and the extent of their willingness to pay for their implementation. The results reveal that approximately one third of the respondents were unaware of the risks associated with the pipeline, and only 14% were willing to pay for the introduction of risk mitigation strategies. The paper not only highlights the essential requirements for the development of mitigation policies, including the need to improve public awareness of the unrecognised risks, but also emphasises the importance of considering the population’s preferences when designing and implementing measures to mitigate risk
The effect of the economic cycles on material requirements: Analysing the dematerialization in developed countries
(Elsevier, 2024-05-10) Alonso Fernández, Pablo; Regueiro Ferreira, Rosa María; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
The evolution of resource requirements in developed countries after the 2008 crisis seemed to indicate that there is a process of dematerialization. This paper analyses dematerialization in a group of developed countries and the effects of the economic cycle on resource use. The aim is to determine whether dematerialization can be linked to the effects of the economic crisis or, on the contrary, is independent of the economic context. To do this, a descriptive part is proposed in which the existence of dematerialization over the last 50 years is analysed. Subsequently, a model is estimated in which the effect of recessionary, low-growth and normal growth periods on the consumption of material resources is contrasted. The raw material input is used as an indicator of the use of material resources, which makes it possible to link each country to all the resources it requires for the normal functioning of its economy, regardless of where they are consumed. Among the main results, it can be noted that reductions in resource consumption occur in periods of recession and low growth, while for growth above 2% there is no dematerialization
The key role of risk perception in preparedness for oil pipeline accidents in urban areas: A sequential mediation analysis
(Elsevier, 2024) Salazar Baño, Alfredo Geovanny; Chas Amil, María Luisa; Ruzo Sanmartín, Emilio; Nogueira Moure, Emilio; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Organización de Empresas e Comercialización; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Instituto de Estudos e Desenvolvemento de Galicia (IDEGA)
Effective disaster risk reduction requires conducting research within communities that gave recognized natural or technological risks, to foster the development of more resilient societies. However, limited information is available regarding risk perception and preparedness for technological hazards in disaster-prone urban areas of South America. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that influence public risk perception regarding the Trans-Ecuadorian Oil Pipeline System and its relationship with household preparedness for a potential accident in the Metropolitan District of Quito (Ecuador). We assess the link among knowledge, trust in authorities, risk perception, intention to prepare, and preparedness. Results from a sequential mediation analysis reveal that risk perception partially and positively mediates the relationship between knowledge and preparedness and acts as a negative full mediator between the latter and trust. These findings provide valuable information for future risk governance and communication strategies, aimed at enhancing risk perception and improving individual preparedness of individuals, as well as risk mitigation procedures
Interaction between renewable energy consumption and dematerialization: insights based on the material footprint and the Environmental Kuznets Curve
(Elsevier, 2022) Regueiro Ferreira, Rosa María; Alonso Fernández, Pablo; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
This paper investigates the effect of renewable energy consumption on material consumption, considering the relationship between Material Footrprint and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and testing the assumptions of the Environmental Kuznets Curve. A STIRPAT variation is used to specify a model relating the Material Footprint to renewable energy consumption and GDP. The effect is tested for the Material Footprint of fossil fuels and for the Material Footprint of the other categories. The analysis is applied to the seven European countries with the highest proportion of renewable energy consumption. The model estimation shows that the relationship between GDP and Material Footprint follows an inverted N-shaped form, and that the renewable energy favours the reduction of the material consumption of fossil fuels. However, there is a positive effect between the renewable energy consumption and the Material Footprint of the other categories beyond fossil fuels. These results must be interpreted considering the context, as the development of renewable energy coincides with the effects of the 2008 crisis, which may distort the relation between the variables. To pose dematerialization scenarios, it seems necessary to consider reducing energy consumption even if it comes from renewable sources
Spatial patterns of social vulnerability in relation to wildfire risk and wildland-urban interface presence
(Elsevier, 2022) Chas Amil, María Luisa; Nogueira Moure, Emilio; Prestemon, Jeffrey P.; Touza Montero, Julia María; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
Wildfires have greater impacts on socially vulnerable communities. Identifying these vulnerable communities and enhancing understanding of what influences their susceptibility to wildfires can guide the design of spatially targeted strategies in preparedness, mitigation plans, and adaptation strategies. This paper investigates the heterogeneous spatial coincidence of social vulnerability and wildfire risk in Galicia (Spain) at the municipality level. Results show that socioeconomic status, rates of dependence on social programs, and household unit characteristics are factors that contribute the most to social vulnerability. In general, municipalities with the highest proportion of their area in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) have the lowest social vulnerability. Within Galicia, locations with high social vulnerability and high wildfire risk are spatially concentrated in the south and tend to be low-population density communities, often in remote locations and with relatively high percentages of elderly people. Our findings provide an empirical foundation for wildfire management planning that accounts for the spatial distribution of vulnerable communities
The role of the public sector in the mitigation of fuel poverty in Spain (2008–2019): modeling the contribution of the Bono Social de Electricidad
(Elsevier, 2022) Cadabal Sampedro, María; Regueiro Ferreira, Rosa María; Calvo, Santiago; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada
With the economic growth of recent centuries, energy has become a structural good of prime necessity (Sovacool, 2011). The prevailing productive and economic model has made energy vulnerability, inequality and poverty a palpable reality in Spain. One of the instruments used to address this situation by the Government has been the implementation of the Bono Social de Electricidad (BSE) in 2009 based on a discount on the electricity tariff borne by families, a priori, with fewer resources. In 2017, the eligibility criteria were revised in such a way that the concept of vulnerable household was redefined. In this paper, through quasi-experimental methods and using the 2008–2011 and 2016–2019 longitudinal sample of the Living Conditions Survey, the effectiveness of this subsidy in reducing fuel poverty is evaluated. The results show that the BSE has not helped to mitigate it, identifying “new typologies of households” energetically poor
Ecological elasticity, decoupling, and dematerialization: insights from the EU-15 study (1970–2018)
(Elsevier, 2022) Regueiro Ferreira, Rosa María; Alonso Fernández, Pablo; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Cuantitativa
In the field of decoupling and dematerialization indicators, Ecological Elasticity is suitable for studying the relationship between economic growth and material consumption over extended periods of time. This article aims to analyze decoupling and dematerialization for the EU-15 countries over the period 1970–2018 using the Ecological Elasticity indicator. For this purpose, data obtained through the Material Flow Analysis methodology are used from two different perspectives, territorial and consumption. This allows us to study the differences between the two approaches and to determine the area of utility of each. It is observed that decoupling is a widespread situation across both indicators, but dematerialization is achieved much more frequently in the territorial case. The comparison between methodologies confirms that the dematerialization observed at the territorial level is closely linked to the delocalization of productive activities and the consequent displacement of the environmental burden to other countries. It is proposed that other indicators be used to measure the inter-annual variation of decoupling and to complement Ecological Elasticity, providing a simple and manageable framework on which to design ecological objectives and policies
Extractivism, ecologically unequal exchange and environmental impact in South America: a study using Material Flow Analysis (1990–2017)
(Elsevier, 2022) Alonso Fernández, Pablo; Regueiro Ferreira, Rosa María; Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada
With the economic and trade liberalisation policies of the late 20th century, the extraction of natural resources for export, known as extractivism, became the central axis of South American economies. This development model has a significant environmental impact and has generated imbalances in the South American productive structure that lead to chronically unfavourable terms of trade for the region. The different price dynamics of exports and imports trap South America in a vicious circle that leads to a progressive need to increase the volume of resources it extracts. Consequently, South America maintains a situation of ecologically unequal exchange that implies the absorption of an ever-increasing environmental impact from the rest of the world. All this calls into question the benefits of free trade, especially in ecological terms, as well as the compatibility between economic growth and the reduction of environmental impac

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